In our latest episode, Deputy Editor Dr. Zam Kassiri (University of Alberta) interviews authors Dr. German González (Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina), Dr. Rebecca Ritchie (Monash University), Dr. Pooneh Bagher (University of Nebraska Medical Center), and Hiroe Toba (Kyoto Pharmaceutical University) about the latest Guidelines in Cardiovascular Research article by Sveeggen et al. that helps researchers tackle the sources of variability in experimental models of diet-induced cardiometabolic syndrome. This podcast is a must-listen for any researcher using a diet-induced food model of disease. The authors discuss different food composition with details about type and source of fat and macronutrients, as well as environmental factors that can influence metabolic outcomes. These guidelines serve as a framework for researchers to optimize dietary interventions in cardiometabolic syndrome models and improve the predictive value of preclinical findings for translational applications. Listen now to learn much more.

Timothy M. Sveeggen, Pooneh Bagher, Hiroe Toba, Merry L. Lindsey, Rebecca H. Ritchie, Verónica J. Miksztowicz, and Germán E. González Guidelines for diet-induced models of cardiometabolic syndrome Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, published October 7, 2025. DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00359.2025

Why is a broad approach that works with iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes so important to understanding molecular mechanisms underlying calcium homeostasis and arrhythmias? In this episode, Associate Editor Dr. Petra Kleinbongard (University of Duisburg-Essen) interviews author Dr. Katrin Streckfuss-Bömeke (University Medical Center Göttingen) and expert Dr. Melanie Paillard (Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1) about the new study by Ajmail et al. While arrhythmias in calcium transients are easy to detect by human perception, quantifying arrhythmias in a computer-readable manner is often difficult. To tackle the challenge, the authors developed an open-source program called Arrhythpy that quantifies and classifies confocal microscopy-based Fluo-4 Ca2+ transients to generate a measure of arrhythmia. What is unique about Arrhythpy is that it directly measures the shape and frequency of transients. The program includes two parts: frequency profiling using a method called wavelet transformation, and measuring transient peak shape using a method called autocorrelation function. After combining these measurements, Arrhythpy classifies each transient into one of 6 different subgroups. No specialty training is needed, and no specialized platforms are required to use Arrhythpy. The program can be used with different microscopes, cell types, and calcium dyes. What is the utility of Arrhythpy beyond the arrhythmia field? Listen now to find out.

Karim Ajmail, Charlotte Brand, Thomas Borchert, Benjamin Meder, Sabine Rebs, Katrin Streckfuss-Bömeke Arrhythpy: An Automated Tool to Quantify and Classify Arrhythmias in Ca2+ Transients of iPSC-Cardiomyocytes Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, published September 15, 2025. DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00414.2025

What is the main driver of sex differences in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF)? In our latest episode, Associate Editor Dr. Petra Kleinbongard (University of Duisburg-Essen) interviews lead author Dr. Matthieu Ruiz (Montreal Heart Institute) and expert Dr. Catherine Mounier (Université du Québec à Montréal) about the new study by David et al. that explores sex-specific effects of B-vitamin supplementation on heart failure with reduced ejection fraction in mice subjected to pressure overload. The research by Ruiz and co-authors found that B-vitamins improved survival rates, cardiac function, and reduced fibrosis in female mice. However, male mice exhibited persistent inflammation, fibrosis, and unfavorable lipidome remodeling despite the B-vitamin supplementation. The findings underscore the sex-specific benefits of B-vitamins in heart failure, and confirm the importance of animal models of human disease for clinical translation. Listen now and learn more.

Chloé David, Sonia Deschênes, Gabriel Ichkhan, Caroline Daneault, Isabelle Robillard Frayne, Bertrand Bouchard, Anik Forest, Yan Fen Shi, Marie-Ève Higgins, Martin G. Sirois, Jean-Claude Tardif, Mathias Mericskay, Jérôme Piquereau, and Matthieu Ruiz Sex-Specific Modulation of Cardiac Fibrosis and Lipid Metabolism by B-Vitamins in Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction in Mice Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, published June 12, 2025. DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00841.2024